The City Is Haunted
by goddessofthenight31
Summary: “It’s like the city is haunted or something, with Wyatt in control of everything. It seems like going back, changing everything, is the only way, you know? I just want to be able to make damn sure that he won’t turn…” “…Crazy?” “Well, yeah.”
1. The One Where Chris Can’t Get Into His

**Disclaimer: Real eyes realize real lies.**

**Rating: T, for language and slight violence.**

**Author's Notes: At the end, unna.**

**The City Is Haunted**

**Chapter One: The One Where Chris Can't Get Into His Own Brother's Party**

"I look stupid."

"Oh, I know."

Christopher Halliwell glances over at Bianca Perry sharply for a moment before he shoots back, "Yes, thank you."

"Well you _do_," the pretty brunette says, straightening his tie. "Just go in, find out what we need to know, don't get caught and then come back to me. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay." _Because it'll be that easy_, he thinks to himself.

It's December the twenty fourth, day Something of his brother's rule over the world. (Chris kind of gave up on counting after day three hundred and sixty eight, sadly enough.) For some odd reason, Wyatt Matthew Halliwell is hosting a party of sorts and, somehow, Chris scored an invitation.

It isn't that Wyatt knows that Chris' heart isn't in Wyatt's empire; it's that Wyatt doesn't really trust Chris. Chris was always smaller than Wyatt, weaker than Wyatt and not as capable of doing things as Wyatt was.

Of course, Wyatt doesn't know that Chris runs a resistance movement against Wyatt, runs it practically single-handedly every fucking day. But it's okay, because Chris has got everything under control.

If everything goes as planned tonight, Wyatt will never ever have to know about Chris' part in the resistance.

If everything goes as planned tonight, no one will ever suffer from Wyatt's rule.

_But it's not like there's any pressure_, he can't help but think.

---

"Ugh, I look so—"

"You look nice." Wyatt Halliwell remarks from the doorway. He watches appreciatively as the woman in front of him, Victoria, finishes dressing slowly, knowingly putting on a show.

"Is the idea really for me to look _nice_?" she asks him, locking startling green eyes with his navy ones in the mirror.

He lets an amused look cross over his face. "Not really, no. Maybe you should wear something else. Show some more skin."

She laughs quietly, turns to look at her entire body in the mirror. "If I were showing any more skin, I'd be naked."

He teasingly licks his lips and winks, replies, "Maybe you should just ditch the dress, then," before he leaves.

---

Wyatt makes one last stop before making his way down to his party. He knocks on a door on the fifth floor of his (impossibly huge) home, waits for it to open. When he comes to the realization that the door isn't going to open, he pushes it open, goes inside.

"Get up, Ryley," he commands, walking to the side of the large bed that takes up most of the space in the room. When the sleeping figure on the mattress makes no movement, he lifts a hand up, telekinetically lifting the body to the ceiling. He keeps the person in the air until they finally wake up, until tired chocolate brown eyes open to meet his. The girl looks around, mumbles, "Well this is new," before Wyatt drops her back on to the bed.

"Get. Up."

She raises a questioning eyebrow and he says, "There's a party tonight. You're meant to attend. Get the fuck ready."

Biting her lip, Ryley drawls, "I don't like parties."

"Yes, well. I don't care," Wyatt smiles before heading towards the door.

---

A rather bored-looking attendant (_Demon_, Chris thinks. A quick wave of his hand and she'd be gone, vanquished. Unfortunately for Chris, tonight, that isn't an option.) "Name?"

"Chris Halliwell."

"I'm sorry?"

Chris shifts his jade green eyes from right to left, sees all the people that ignored him just a few moments ago now staring at him incredulously. "Uh, Christopher Halliwell? That's C-H-"

"I know how it's spelled. Could you please stand off to the side, for a moment? We have instructions to search you upon entry."

Yeah, because, that doesn't sound frightening in the least.

He walks slowly to where the attendant gestured and then asks "Can I smoke here?"

"No," comes the quick reply.

"Oh, okay," Chris says, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, anyway.

"Sir, I said you can't smoke that here," the demon says, louder now.

"Right, sorry. I'll just go get rid of it," he nods at her, walks around, seemingly to find an ashtray. The second he gets around the corner, he runs.

---

"Victoria."

Victoria turns around and puts on a smile for Wyatt who kisses her lips chastely before introducing her to a group of his "associates". Victoria knows that the demons, warlocks and Darklighters she's meeting are all bad, bad beings, but hey, Wyatt's kind of the baddest of the bad and he's kind of in control of all of them, so it's not a problem for her.

"Well, Wyatt, your wife is completely stunning," an elderly warlock introduced as Damien states. Well, Victoria knows that she looks stunning in her elegant red dress and matching high heels, but she takes the compliment anyway.

Wyatt presses a kiss to her neck and says, "I know, right?" Victoria can't help but grin a little at that, grin at the slight appearance of the arrogant kid she first fell in love with.

Then, "Fuck. I'll be right back. Be good," Wyatt murmurs the last bit into her ear, before striding away quickly. Everyone in the vicinity follows him with their eyes; everyone wants to see what is of such importance that he would leave so abruptly.

A chorus of "Oh"s, erupts from the men she's still standing with and Victoria adjusts a strand of her blond hair behind her ear before asking, "What is it?"

The men all glance at each other before one of them, an attractive Darklighter called Syke says, "It's really nothing to worry about."

---

With a bleeding nose, and an already bruising jaw, Ryley hisses as she hits the floor, "It was an _accident_."

"You don't _accidentally_ call someone a 'pompous dickweed'."

Despite her pain, she managed to snicker a little at that. Hearing her amusement, Wyatt kicks her in her side, snaps, "This isn't funny, you little brat."

She groans and forces out an "Okay, I'm sorry."

He crouches down next to her and growls, "You're always fucking sorry. I don't have to keep you around, you know?_ I don't need you_."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Good," he says shortly, before leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. Something makes her want to vomit at the gesture but instead she sighs and turns to look at him looking at her. "You used to be such a good little girl. What happened?" Wyatt teases, running a finger down her jaw line.

"Not having the ability to think for myself made me 'good'?" Ryley questions critically.

"No, no, no. I have _always_ let you think for yourself."

She closes her eyes and inhales deeply. _No, no, you didn't. No, you fucking didn't. I hate you. I hate you so fucking much_, Ryley thinks frantically until the sound of receding footsteps helps her breathing to slow down.

"Oh, and by the way," Wyatt says from the doorway, "I want to see you in my study, once you can move. Don't rush."

_Yeah, he's a pompous dickweed, too_, Ryley notes.

---

Chris crosses and uncrosses his legs at least ten times before he gets up to pace around the room he's been shoved inside. It's large enough that he'd get to walk around it several times before he got bored, he thinks, seeing as it's covered in interesting things. The walls are made up almost entirely of bookshelves, and the idea of spell books filled with new magical knowledge is rather enticing.

Just as he stands, however, the door opens and a petite dark haired girl walks in, cursing under her breath. It makes sense that she would be cursing, really, seeing as she looks as if she just lost a rather bad fight. But, Chris was raised to be polite, so he figures he'll just ignore all the blood.

She tilts her head as she sees him standing there, raises an eyebrow and asks frankly, "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Chris."

"Oh. Because that clears everything up," she rolls her eyes and sits down on the desk that he assumes belongs to his brother.

"Right, sorry. I'm Chris Halliwell."

A brief look of fear flits into her eyes before she says, "Oh. I'm Ryley. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to—" Chris stops himself. Does he really want to tell some girl he doesn't even know all about his mission? No, not really. "I'm just here to see Wyatt. He's kind of my brother."

The girl, Ryley, smirks and says "You shouldn't lie to a liar, it never works out well. Why are you really here?"

"Well, uh. I'm here to gain some knowledge from Wyatt who really is my brother so that I can find a way into a different time period to stop him from turning into the person he is now."

"Oh," Ryley drawls, unimpressed. "Sounds like fun."

---

_**Author's Notes:**__** So, uh. Should I continue? Yes or no? I'm kinda eh about this, so. In case you couldn't tell, this is a story in which Wyatt is evil, blah, blah, blah. It will be Wyatt/OC (Victoria) and Chris/Bianca, I think, but I'm not too sure. **_

_**I haven't written anything, let alone Charmed fics for a long, long time. I actually deleted all my stories, so if you remember me, good on you, say hi. If not, then, oh well. I'm giving another shot at writing, so. Since I haven't been at this for awhile, reviews would be much appreciated. :)**_


	2. The One Where Chris Makes A New Friend

**Disclaimer:**** Real eyes realize real lies.**

**Rating:**** T, for language and slight violence.**

**Author's Notes:**** At the end, unna.**

**The City Is Haunted**

**Chapter Two: The One Where Chris Makes A New Friend**

"Well, it wasn't meant to sound '_fun'_, it was meant to sound necessary," Chris snaps.

"Oh, sorry," Ryley says, nodding in mock seriousness.

"You know what; I don't need to take this."

"Oh? Where are you gunna go?"

Chris looks at her, sighs and then replies, "Oh, I don't even know," before he sinks down to sit on the floor. "I'm _so_ fucked over."

"Yeah, sucks to be you."

He looks up at her and says, "Gee, thanks."

"Well, I guess I could tell you that I'm sorry for you, but I'm really not."

He shakes his head at her honesty and then asks, "Do I have a chance of getting out of here any time soon?"

"Not until Wyatt comes back."

"Which will be when?"

She fixes him with a stare, a stare that tells him just who it was that she got into that fight with. "Yeah, like I really know."

"Oh, great. Well then."

It's silent in the room for a few minutes before Ryley asks him, "So, apart from your 'mission', what brings you here?"

"Here, as in to this room?"

"Yes sir."

Chris snickers and chooses to say, "I lit a cigarette."

---

Glaring at a room full of hello, demons that are trained to do what he says, Wyatt questions, "What do you mean, he _ran away_?"

"No, no, sir, he ran away, but we got him. He should be in your study now."

Wyatt raises an eyebrow quizzically at the one demon brave enough to speak up. "Since when do I bring prisoners to my study?"

"But, I thought you said that Christopher was to be treated as a trusted ally?"

"Since when do I ask for trusted allies to be searched?"

The demon is now at a loss for words. He stutters his way through the sentence, "Well. You, you don't, sir."

"Exactly."

---

"Oh, that is so _lame_!"

"What? No, it's not!"

"It's like you're in school or something! 'Oh, yeah, well. I got sent to the principal 'cause, get this, I was smoking in the boys' room. Yeah, I know, I'm so hardcore,'" Ryley mocks.

Chris opens his mouth indignantly to reply, but before he can, the door creaks open and both of their heads turn quickly to look at the new arrival.

"Off my desk," a cold voice commands, and Ryley immediately hops off the desk, tugs on the hem of her dress, stands a bit awkwardly next to Chris. Chris takes a longer look at the new person, realizes that, hey, it's _Wyatt_.

_Fuck, shit, Jesus,_ Chris thinks repeatedly until it's all that can go through his head. _Fuck, shit, Jesus, I'm gunna die… _

But Wyatt surprises him. Wyatt always surprises him. He strides over to Chris, holds out a hand. Says, "Hey, baby brother. How are you?"

And Chris, well. Chris is just a little shocked.

"I'm alright…how are you?"

"I'm not so good," Wyatt starts and Chris laughs on the inside. _Of course you're not so good, dipshit._ Wyatt sits down next to Chris before adding, "My party is kind of a wreck, if you didn't notice."

"Oh, it is? I really hadn't noticed."

"Yeah," Wyatt looks up at Ryley, pulls her down onto his lap before saying, "You see, my bouncers messed up the guest list. You weren't meant to be searched; the person after you, David Hyden, was. I hear he's starting some sort of _resistance _movement. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Chris can't speak, all he can think is, _Fuck, he knows, fuck, I'm screwed, fuck, he's gunna kill me…_ He manages to nod slowly, and Wyatt continues.

"But, it's weird because. You ran away, little brother? Why would you run, Chris?" And Wyatt, well, Wyatt looks pretty damn diabolical despite the fact that he's in formal attire and he has a scared-looking sixteen year old in his lap.

"Well, uh. I got nervous, I guess."

Wyatt laughs, and it's a loud booming sound. It doesn't scare Chris, not really, but it kind of pisses him off. He knows what Wyatt is thinking. Wyatt is thinking _'I wouldn't have ran.' _Chris gets that, he really does, and maybe, just maybe, it kind of compels him to say what he does next.

"Anyway. What else went wrong with your night? Other than the part where you beat up a girl."

---

"Have you seen Wyatt?" Victoria asks Syke cautiously.

"Oh, no. There was a security breach of sorts. He had to go work it out. Can I help you with anything?"

Victoria flashes him a bright smile, says, "No, thanks," and stalks off. She makes her way out of the main room, and heads toward her husband's study.

_If there's anywhere he'd be right now, it'd be there, _she thinks._ I'm not even important enough to come before his stupid 'security breach'. _

Really, if she were being completely honest, she'd tell you that one of the main reasons she still put up with Wyatt was because the sex was amazing.

---

"I didn't 'beat her up', Chris. Did she tell you that I did?" Wyatt asks with interest. When Chris just glares at him, Wyatt tilts Ryley's head up, makes her look at him. "What did you tell him?"

"I-I-I didn't say anything."

"Hmm," Wyatt takes that in, looks at Chris. "Is she lying to me, Chris?"

"No."

"Really? Because, she's been known to lie. If she is, just tell me."

"She isn't lying, Wyatt," Chris snaps. His eyes widen as he sees the girl choking for breath, and he says, "Wyatt, stop."

Wyatt looks at him, breaks his concentration and Ryley is suddenly inhaling and exhaling normally. Wyatt leans down, whispers something into her ear and she nods, before getting up and walking slowly out of the room.

"What the fuck, Wyatt?"

"She needs to be disciplined, that's all. Anyway. As long as you were simply 'nervous', you can return to the party. I did want to introduce you to a few people, but we can probably do that some other time, hmm?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess," Chris replies slowly. Wait, no, he still needs to know something. _Fuck, fuck, fuck._ "Hey, Wyatt? Uh, do you remember how old you were when you got Excalibur?"

"It was awhile after my Wiccaning, I suppose. Why do you ask?"

Chris shrugs, victory dancing on the inside. "Just curious."

---

"What are you doing out here?"

"Standing."

"Don't get smart with me."

"I'm smart with _everyone_."

"I'll tell Wyatt," Victoria hisses and, just as she predicts, Ryley shuts up. Victoria shakes her head mockingly and pushes open the study door, walks in with a smirk. At the same time, Chris walks out, immediately striding toward the nearest exit. Ryley falls into step beside him, chirps, "Hi!"

"Holy _shit_. Don't do that," Chris mutters.

"Sorry. Did you find out what you needed to know?"

"Yeah, I did actually."

"Oh. So…" Ryley thinks, is quiet for a moment before she says, "So why is the sword important?"

"How did you—"

"Know?" Ryley fills in for him.

"Well, yeah, I mean—"

"The door was closed, yes."

"Are you a—"

"Telepath? Yeah."

"Oh. Okay."

---

"It was not a little security breach. It was _Chris_. And, besides, I only left you alone for maybe half an hour."

"It's been two hours, Wyatt. _Two hours_."

"Okay, okay. Look, next time my brother decides to actually show up to one of these things and then fucking runs away, proving that maybe my suspicions of his part in the resistance movement are correct, I'll just ignore it and make small talk with you and my acquaintances. Okay?"

"Don't get talk to me like that, Wyatt. I get that this is important, okay, I do, but. I can't do this anymore. I can't be second best anymore, you know?"

"Are you trying to give me an ultimatum?" Wyatt laughs incredulously. Because, really, he's Wyatt fucking Halliwell and his wife of all people thinks she can just act as if she has free will? _Honestly_.

"Not exactly."

They stare at each other for several moments before Wyatt declares, "I think it's time for us to return to the party, Victoria."

And with that, the conversation is over.

_**---**_

"But why?"

"Because he's evil."

"But why?"

"Because someone turned him."

"But why?"

"Because or else he would be good."

"Why?"

"Because he's the twice-blessed."

"But _why_?"

"You are the most annoying kid I know."

Ryley beams and asks, "Really, you think so?"

"Why does that make you happy?" Chris laughs. It's good to laugh, he thinks, and really, he hasn't made a friend for awhile, so this, well. This is nice.

"Because you don't really sound annoyed," she smiles. "So, are you and Wyatt friends?"

"We were, once. We're more like acquaintances."

Ryley stalls for a minute, processing the word, before she shrugs. "Okay."

"It's not easy to make friends. Especially with someone like Wyatt."

"Oh. Well, I wouldn't know. I don't have any, you see."

Chris stops walking abruptly, shocked. "How can you not have any friends?"

She shrugs again, mumbles, "I don't know. I just don't."

Chris stares at her in bewilderment before he says, "Okay, well. We're friends."

"What, really?"

"Yes. You and me, we're friends."

Ryley jumps forward and wraps her arms around his neck. "Awesome!"

Chris hugs back, because, well. Silly as it seems, it's nice to have someone to be 'friends' with. It's great, really.

Plus, her happiness is just about contagious.

---

Two corridors away, a warlock mutters, "Fuck, dude."

"Don't say dude," the demon on duty snaps back. "You sound so terribly mortal."

"Fine. But, what's _that_? I mean, dude, it's _glowing_."

"Oh. _Oh_. I don't, I don't know. Shit."

---

"Chris. Chris, what's that?" Ryley prods, pointing ahead.

"Oh, uh. I don't know," Chris says, walking closer to the wall she had pointed at. It was weird, because, uh, Chris has seen a lot of walls in his lifetime and most of them didn't _glow_. "I think it's a portal." He braces his hands on either side of the portal, sticks his head in. pulling it back out, he breathes, _"It's a time portal."_

Without thinking, Chris walks straight ahead. Walks right on through.

Ryley, she bites her lip. She's not allowed to go into 'time portals'. She's not even allowed to be this far away from Wyatt without his permission. _Fuck, fuck, fuck._

But, well. Chris said they were _friends_. And if they're friends, Chris won't let anything bad happen. So, Ryley walks through, too.

---

_**Author's Notes: I can almost guarantee that this story will never, ever, ever include the pairing Wyatt/Ryley. Ever. I'm just not willing to go there. There is an interesting story there, however. Which will be explained later. So suspend your disbelief. It is still Chris/Bianca, because Chris doesn't get distracted by the first skirt he sees.**_

_**Reviews are still amazing. Kthnxbai.**_


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